Prehistoric Hug

Archaeologists in Italy have unearthed two skeletons thought to be 5,000 to 6,000 years old, locked in an embrace.
The pair from the Neolithic period were discovered outside Mantua, about 40km (25 miles) south of Verona.

The pair, almost certainly a man and a woman, are thought to have died young as their teeth were mostly intact, said chief archaeologist Elena Menotti.

The burial site was discovered during construction work for a factory building.

Hugging

"It's an extraordinary case," said Ms Menotti -the archaeologist who led the dig. "There has not been a double burial found in the Neolithic period, much less two people hugging - and they really are hugging!"

Flint tools, including arrowheads and a knife, were also found alongside the couple.